Injury Prevention Programs
Injuries from trauma can lead to disability or death and can affect us all. However, many injuries can be prevented or avoided with a few safety precautions.
The Trauma Prevention and Outreach Program at UC San Diego Health is committed to preventing and reducing injuries through education, outreach and the strength of community partnerships. We want to share the best ideas in injury prevention with the San Diego community through our community collaborations and our successful trauma prevention programs.
Stay Informed
We offer and support expert-led programs that prevent injuries through collaborative efforts between various organizations in San Diego County and UC San Diego experts at the Trauma Research & Education Foundation and Injury Epidemiology, Prevention & Research Center. In addition, UC San Diego's Training, Research and Education for Driving Safety (TREDS) program conducts research on driver and pedestrian safety.
Learn How to Keep Your Family Safe
Fall Prevention
Falls are one of the leading causes of hospitalization,
especially among seniors, and can lead to health complications. In San Diego County, one in four older adults (ages 65+) fall each year. UC San Diego Health supports the San Diego County Fall Prevention Task Force in educating older adults on preventing falls and staying active and independent.
Reduce the Risk of Falls
Driver Safety
Traffic collisions account for the majority of deaths and injuries across all age groups and 95 percent of these are preventable. That's why UC San Diego Health is aiding community efforts to reverse this trend by:

Video: Take Action Against Distracted Driving
Get safe driving advice
Driver Tips
Here are some tips on driving safely to protect yourself and others.Watch These Videos and Drive Sober
- Learn more about blood alcohol content and driving
Pedestrian Safety
UC San Diego Health is working with the City of San Diego’s Vision Zero pedestrian safety committee, providing data to support changes to make streets and sidewalks safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorized vehicles. Here are some tips for pedestrians:
- Cross in marked crosswalks and follow pedestrian signals.
- Make eye contact with drivers to be sure they see you.
- Put the phone down — don’t be distracted.
- Be seen — wear reflective clothing when walking at night.

Video: Pedestrian Safety
TREDS, which is doing research on pedestrian safety, shows how to walk safely
Gun Safety
Many gun deaths and injuries can be prevented. Here are some tips:
- Always assume a gun is loaded.
- Store firearms safely.
- Keep guns away from those at risk of hurting themselves or others.
- Read a guide on protecting you and those around you:
- Gun Safety and Your Health (English)
- Seguridad con armas de fuego, y su salud (Spanish)
Burn Prevention
Each year, approximately 4,500 people die from a burn-related injury. The collaborative efforts of the UC San Diego Health Regional Burn Center, the Burn Institute and San Diego County provide burn prevention education and burn survivor events.
Effective, Evidence-Based Strategies for Trauma Prevention
We can work together through education, research and community outreach to improve and coordinate injury prevention efforts to prevent them for happening in the first place. Our Level 1 Trauma Center provides outstanding and effective patient care, but we envision prevention as the cure for traumatic injury and death. We’re taking action with these strategies:
- Through trusted partnerships with other hospitals, universities, police and fire departments, and local nonprofit agencies. This proactive approach allows us to share and combine expertise and research findings as well as share prevention initiatives with those at highest risk for traumatic injury. Our partners include the San Diego County Fall Prevention Task Force, the City of San Diego Vision Zero program, the Burn Institute and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
- Through research and knowledge gained in academic medicine. Research shows that implementation of best-practice programs can reduce traumatic injuries and death. We apply the knowledge we gain through academic medicine to create highly effective injury-prevention strategies. Learn more about our efforts:
- Clinical research in trauma care
- Basic-science studies to improve healing
- Research on driver and pedestrian safety
- Through outreach to the community with programs such as Stop The Bleed, the hands-on bleeding control training for the public from the American College of Surgeons, to save lives that could otherwise be lost due to preventable injury.

How to Stop the Bleed
Bystanders can help save lives during an emergency by stopping blood loss in a severely injured person. Watch UC San Diego Health trauma surgeon Jay Doucet, MD, demonstrate three methods.
Contact Us
- Trauma Center: 619-543-6222
- Clinical care appointments and referrals: 619-543-6886
- Administrative offices (not for new patients or referrals): 619-543-7200
- For Referring Physicians
- For more information about our prevention programs, email Trauma Prevention and Outreach, email us: TraumaInjuryPrevention@health.ucsd.edu